Marking apparatus



gur A V g- 1964 H. BURR ETAL 3,143,959

MARKING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 4, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet l 07 INVENTORSHARVEY BURR JOHN J. LEONE JOHN L. OLY'HA W M awek mm mm Fig. 2

Aug. 11, 1964 H. BURR ETAL MARKING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug.4, 1961 INVENTORS W h E A d WW 7 UEL [/L B L O M Y 1! E J 0 WWW A00 H UJUnited States Patent 3,143,959 MARKING APPARATUS Harvey Burr, NewRochelle, John J. Leone, Harrison, and John L. Olyha, Hastings onHudson, N.Y., asslgnors, by mesne assignments, to Anaconda Wire andCable Company, a corporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 4, 1961, Ser. No.129,469 3 Claims. ((11. 1016) Our invention relates to apparatus formarking an elongated article and particularly to apparatus for markingsaid article through a printing tape disposed transversely of saidarticle.

For imprinting a recurrent legend at spaced intervals on an elongatedarticle such as an electric cable it has been known to interpose apigment or dye bearing printing tape between the cable and a printingdie and to impress the die onto the cable through the tape. It has alsobeen known to obtain a more permanent mark upon the cable by using aheated die along with a hottransfer printing tape such as a polyesterplastic tape coated with pigment bound in a temperature sensitivevehicle. Machines for printing onto cables through hottransfer tapes arecommercially available, but the known machines have a seriousdisadvantage that results in high operating costs and reducedefficiency. This problem stems from the fact that in all commercialmachines known to us the printing tape is run parallel to the cable sothat each foot of printed surface requires a foot, also, of tape.Efforts to economize by using the tape two or more times have requiredelaborate provisions for collecting the used tapes and feeding them intothe machines in such a manner that the printing die would encounter onlyunused portions of the tape surface. The John W. Olson Patent 2,168,431assigned to the assignee of the present application disclosed a printingtape mounted to feed across the cable instead of lengthwise of it. Thistape was wide enough to print the entire length of a legend and for eachimpression the tape was advanced only a short distance, slightly greaterthan the height of the lettering. In order, however, to print on acontinuously moving surface it was necessary for Olson to rotate hisentire tape supporting assembly at a speed equal to the speed of advanceof the cable. This apparatus has not been found prac-' ticable formodern high-speed operation.

We have invented an apparatus that has the surprising ability to mark acontinuously moving elongated article through a printing tape mountedtransversely thereto from fixed stations, i.e., stations that are notpart of a rotating assembly. Because of its simplicity our apparatus canoperate at high speeds and produce long runs of cable without reloadingthe tape. The full printing capacity of the tape is exhausted during itsfirst passage through our apparatus with the result that it. can bedischarged directly into the discard and does not require any provisionsfor collection and removal. Our apparatus comprises means forcontinuously advancing an elongated article such as a cable, means forsupporting a printing tape between fixed stations, means for advancingthe tape transversely of the article, and means for recurrentlyimpressing raised indicia against the tape onto the article therebytransferring a mark onto the article. The indicia and the portion of thetape in contact therewith advance with the article during the "iceimpressing action. Our apparatus also comprises means for applyingtension to the tape, means for removing the indicia from the tape, withthe tape returning to position for another impression under thecompulsion of the tension upon the removal of the indicia. In someembodiments our apparatus comprises a hot transfer tape and means forheating the raised indicia. The raised indicia may be spaced on aprinting Wheel in which case our apparatus comprises means for rotatingthe wheel. A particular preferred embodiment of our invention comprisesa frame, a roll of printing tape mounted on the frame, a printingstation associated with the frame, means for supporting the elongatedarticle at the printing station, and means fixedly mounted on the framefor tensioning the tape and guiding it to the printing stationtransversely of the article to be printed. Our apparatus also comprisesmeans, fixedly mounted on the frame on the opposite side of theelongated article from the tape guiding means, for advancing the tape;tape accumulator means mounted on the frame between tape advancing meansand the printing station, and means mounted at the station forrecurrently printing through the tape onto the article. In order tohandle cables of different sizes our apparatus advantageously comprisessupport means mounted at the printing station supporting the cable atand beyond the printing means, means for urging the support and thecable toward the printing means, stop means adjacent to the printingmeans and opposite the support means blocking the advance of the supportwhereby the surface of the cable is fixed in relation to the printingmeans regardless of the size of the cable. The fixed tape supportstations may advantageously be mounted adjustably so as to allow anadjustment of the length of tape between stations.

A more thorough understanding of our invention may be gained by a studyof the appended drawing.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of apparatus made to our invention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the apparatus of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an elevation, partly in section, of an element of ourapparatus.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an element of our invention.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 a marking apparatus indicated generally at 10has .a frame 11 on which is mounted a roll 12 of printing tape 13. Thetape 13 is preferably a polyester tape one mill thick of the hottransfer type such that it'makes a permanent mark on a surface when itis impressed with a heated die. A tape which we have found suitable foruse in our apparatus is sold by the Acromark 00., 9-13 Morrell St.,Elizabeth, N.I., under the name Acromark Acroleaf Tape. Leaving the roll12 the tape 13 passes over a guide roll 14 across the frame 11 to antherguide roll 15. The guide roll 14 has flanged rims 16 which preventlateral shifting of the tape 13 and the surface of the roll is knurledfor the purpose of increasing the frictional grip of the guide roll uponthe tape 13. A rubber pinch roll 17 that fits between the flanges 16 ismounted to compress the tape 13 against the roll 14. The roll 14 ismounted on a shaft 18 coupled to a sheave 19 driven by a belt 20 from asheave 21 driven, in turn, through a shaft 22, by a sheave 23. Thesheave 23 is driven by means of a belt 24 by a sheave 25 mounted on anangle gear box 26 connected through a shaft 27, flexible coupling 28,shaft 29, pulley 30 and belt 31 to a drive means not shown. The shaft 29is journalled in pillow blocks 3232 supported on the frame 11 by a table33. Also mounted on the shaft 29 is a gear 34 meshing with a gear 35mounted on a shaft 36. Also mounted on the shaft 36 is a printing wheel37 with raised indicia 38. We have shown the printing wheel 37 to have atruncated circular periphery and it will be understood a circular wheelis not necessary for the successful operation of our machine so long asall the indicia 38 are spaced at equal distances from the center of theshaft 36. The word wheel as used in this application includes anyrotatable mounting for the indicia 38 which so spaces the said indicia.The shaft 36 which serves as the axis of the printing wheel 37 is seento be parallel to the tape 13. Normal to this axis a cable 39 passesunder the wheel 37 at a portion of the apparatus 10 that constitutes aprinting station designated generally by the symbol S for the cable 39.It will be understood that although our apparatus has particularadvantages for marking cables it is not limited thereto and ourinvention is also useful for continuously marking other elongatedarticles such as strands, belts, and the like.

The tape 13 after leaving the guide roll 15 passes under a roll 40rotatably mounted between two horizontal links of which only the nearerlink 41 can be seen in the drawing. The link 41 and its mate arehingedly connected by a pin 42 and vertical bars, of which only a bar 43can be seen in the drawing, to the frame 11. The other end of the link41 and its mating member are connected by means of a pin 44 to a tensionspring 46. The lower end of the spring 46 is fastened to a threaded stud47 which screws into a nut 48 rotatably connected to the frame 11. Byturning the nut 48 the tension in the spring 46 can be adjusted. Theassembly of the elements 40 to 48 comprises an accumulator for the tape13 designated generally by the numeral 49. Tape leaving the roll 40 ofthe accumulator 49 passes over a flanged sheave 50 and under a rubberpinch roll 51 which serves as a capstan to draw the tape through ourapparatus 10. After leaving the rolls 50, 51 the tape is discarded bydropping into a waste bin 52. The sheave 50 is mounted on and keyed to ashaft 53 which is driven by means of a sheave 54 and a belt 55 by asheave 56 mounted on and keyed to the shaft 22. In order to maintaintension in the tape 13 the sheave 50 isdriven somewhat faster than thesheave 14. The sheave 54 is not mounted directly on the shaft 53 but ona coaxial shaft 57 that is connected to the shaft 53 by means of a slipclutch 58. We have found that satisfactory operation with a printingtape two inches wide results when the clutch 58 is adjusted to maintaina tension between /2 to pounds and preferably between 1 /22 pounds. Itis a feature of our invention that the tape 13 is maintained in positionunder the indicia 38 by reason of the tension maintained therein. Thistension causes the tape to return to a printing position after eachimpression. In order, however, for the tape tension to effect thisdesirable result it is necessary that there should be a considerablelength of tape between the two sheaves 14, 15 and we have provided thatthe aforementioned sheaves shall each be at a distance of 30 inches fromthe printing wheel 37. This permits a lateral displacement of the tape13 during each impression on the moving cable 39 without danger oftearing the tape 13.

We do not wish to be limited to this particular distance since it willbe readily understood that the optimum distance will vary with the tapedimensions, tape tension, speed of operation and other variable factorswithin the scope of our invention and we have provided means,hereinafter to be described, for adjusting the distance between theguide rolls 14, 15 and the printing wheel 37.

In order to make most economical use of the tape 13 the width of thetape is selected to match the length of the mark or legend to be printedon the article 39 and the sheaves 19, 54 are selected to provide a rateof advance of the tape 13 relative to the advancement of the cable 39adjusted to the height of the legend. A doughnut-shaped electric heater59 is attached adjacent to the printing wheel 37 for the purpose ofheating the indicia 38. The heater 59 maintains the indicia 38 at atemperature sufficient to print through the hot transfer tape 13 ontothe cable 39.

A feature of our invention of particular advantage for marking cables ofdifferent sizes is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. In order to support the cable39 while it is being impressed with the indicia 38 we have provided achannel 70 holding a plurality of grooved rolls 71. The channel 70 ismounted on a rod 72 that terminates in a vertical guide plate 73 thatslides between two vertical grooved guide blocks 74, 75. The rod 72 hasa threaded portion 76 whose threads match threads 77 at the bottom ofthe block 73. The rod 72 passes through a collar 78 at the bottom of theblock 73 to serve as a stop for a compression spring 79. The bottom ofthe spring 79 is supported on a plate 81 spanning the slides 74, 75. The

plate 81 has a hole 82 through which the rod 72 projects. A ring handle83 terminates the rod 72 at a point below the plate 81. The spring 79 isthus seen to urge the cable 39 resting on the rolls 71 upwardly againstthe indicia 38. The compression can be adjusted by turning the handle 83so as to lengthen or shorten the length of the rod 72 protruding fromthe block 73. A stop roll 84 mounted to the frame 11 ahead of the wheel37 prevents the cable from being lifted too high by the action of thespring 79.

. The channel 70 is long enough to extend under the roll 84 so thatthere is no tendency to push the cable up at a point beyond the stoproll.

In order to provide an optimum snap back of the tape 13 when it isreleased from the cable 39 by the re moval of the indicia 38 thedistance between the guide rolls 14 and 15 is made adjustable asfollows: Horizontal plates 85, 86 are rigidly mounted on the left handside of the frame 11 and horizontal plates '87, 88 are rigidly mountedon its right hand side. Slidably mounted on the plates 85, 86 is anassembly comprising a slotted steel plate 89, a channel 91 and the guideroll 14, pinch roll 17, shaft 18 and sheave 19. Slotted holes 92, 93 inthe plate 89 accommodate threaded pins 94, 95 projecting from the plate85 and slotted holes 96, 97 in the plate 89 accommodate threaded pins99, 100 projecting from the plate 86. By sliding the plate 89 leftwardany selected distance up to the point where the pins 94, 95, 99, 100reach the right extremities of the slots 92, 93, 96, 97 the length ofthe free tape 13 between the roll 14 and the printing wheel 37 can beincreased and the plate 89 can be locked in position by tightening capnuts 101 onto the pins 94, 95, 99, 100. Similarly a plate 102 slides onthe plates 87, 88 and has mounted thereon the right hand assemblyincluding the rolls 15, 50 and 51. Slots 103, and 104 in the plate 102accommodate threaded pins 106, 187 projecting from the plate 88 andslots 108, 109 in the plate 102 accommodate threaded pins 111, 112projecting from the plate 87; By sliding the plate 102 to the right anyselected distance up to the point where the pins 106, 107, 111, 112reach the left hand extremities of their respective slots 103, 104, 108,109 and then tightening cap nuts 113 on the pins the tape 13 can belengthened between the wheel 37 and the roll 15.

Operation During operation the cable 39 is advanced by means not shownsaid means being synchronized through the belt 31 to drive the printingwheel 37 at the same speed as the cable 39. Meanwhile the tape 13 ismoved transversely of the cable 39 by the rotation of the sheave 50.Before making contact with the indicia 38 the tape 13 is not centeredunder the axis of the wheel 37 but has one edge only slightly downstream(with reference to the movement of the cable 39) of'the said axis. Asthe wheel 37 rotates and the first of one group of the indicia 38contacts the tape 13 the contact is made close to one edge of the tapeand the tape is carried laterally forward with the cable 39 as each ofthe indicia in turn reach the tape and impress it into the cablesurface. When the last of the raised indicia lift free from the tape 13the latter snaps back into position under the influence of the tensionin the tape. From the first contact of an indicia 38 to the tape 13 thetape is prevented from moving forward toward the sheave 15 and cannotmove forward again until it is released from the indicia by reason ofthe continued rotation of the wheel 37. During this time, however, thesheave 50 continues to rotate and discard tape into the bin 52 bydrawing slack from the accumulator 49. Also during this time of printingcontact the sheave 14 continues to pay tape into the apparatus creatingsome slack at the tape feed end of the station S. As soon as the tape isreleased from the indicia 38 all the slack is taken up by the roll 40under the urging of the spring 45 and a fresh surface of the tape 13 ispositioned over the cable 39.

We have invented a new and useful apparatus for marking elongatedarticles for which we desire an award of Letters Patent.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for marking an elongated article comprising means forcontinuously advancing said article, means for supporting a printingtape between fixed stations, means for advancing said tape in a fixedpath between said stations transversely of said article, means forrecurrently impressing indicia against said tape onto said articlethereby transferring a mark onto said article, said indicia and theportion of said tape in contact therewith advancing with said articlelaterally out of said path during said impressing while points of saidtape spaced from said portion remain in said path, means for applyingtension to said tape, said tape snapping back laterally to position insaid path for another impression under the compulsion of said tensionupon the removal of said indicia.

2. Apparatus for marking an elongated article comprising means forcontinuously advancing said article, means for supporting a hot transferprinting tape between fixed stations, means for advancing said tape in afixed path between said stations transversely of said article, means forrecurrently impressing raised indicia against said tape onto saidarticle, means for heating said indicia whereby a mark is transferredonto said article, said indicia and the portion of said tape in contacttherewith advancing with said article laterally out of said path duringsaid impressing while points of said tape spaced from said portionremain in said path, means for applying tension to said tape, said tapesnapping back laterally to position in said path for another impressionunder the compulsion of said tension upon the removal of said indicia.

3. Apparatus for marking an elongated article comprising means forcontinuously advancing said article, means for supporting a printingtape between fixed stations and means for advancing said tape in a fixedpath between said stations transversely of said article, a printingwheel mounted on an axis normal to the axis of advance of said article,raised indicia supported on said wheel, means for rotating said wheelwhereby said indicia are impressed against said tape onto said articlethereby transferring a mark onto said article, said indicia and theportions of said tape in contact therewith advancing with said articlelaterally out of said path during said impressing while points of saidtape spaced from said portion remain in said path, means for applyingtension to said tape, said tape snapping back laterally to position insaid path for another impression under compulsion of said tension whensaid indicia is rotated away from said tape.

4. Apparatus for marking an elongated article comprising means forcontinuously advancing said article, means for supporting a hot transferprinting tape between fixed stations and means for advancing said tapein a fixed path between said stations transversely of said article, aprinting wheel mounted on an axis normal to the axis of advance of saidarticle, raised indicia supported on said wheel, means for heating saidindicia, means for rotating said wheel whereby said indicia areimpressed against said tape onto said article transferring a mark ontosaid article, said indicia and the portion of said tape in contacttherewith advancing with said article laterally out of said path duringsaid impressing while points of said tape spaced from said portionremain in said path, means for applying tension to said tape, said tapesnapping back laterally to position in said path for another impressionunder compulsion of said tension when said indicia is rotated away fromsaid tape.

5. Apparatus for marking an elongated strand comprising a frame, a rollof printing tape mounted on said frame, means for continuously advancingan elongated article across said frame, a printing station associatedwith said frame, means mounted on said frame for supporting said articleat said printing station, means fixedly mounted on said frame fortensioning said tape and guiding the same to said printing stationtransversely of said article, means fixedly mounted on said frame on theopposite side of said article from said tape guiding means for advancingsaid tape, tape accumulating means mounted on said frame between saidtape advancing means and said printing station, a printing wheel mountedon an axis normal to said article at said station, raised indiciasupported on said wheel, and means for rotating said wheel at the speedof advancing of said article thereby printing on said advancing articlethrough said tape.

6 Apparatus for marking an elongated strand com- PIlSlIlg a frame, aroll of hot transfer tape mounted on said frame, means for advancing anelongated article across said frame, a printing station associated withsaid frame, means mounted on said frame for supporting said article atsaid printing station, means fixedly mounted on said frame fortensioning said tape and guiding the same to said printing stationtransversely of said article, means fixedly mounted on said frame on theopposite side of said article from said tape guiding means for advancingsaid tape, tape accumulating means mounted on said frame between saidtape advancing means and said printing station, a printing wheel mountedon an axis normal to said article at said station, raised indiciasupported on said wheel, means mounted on said frame for heating saidindicia, and means for rotating said wheel thereby printing on saidarticle through said tape.

7. Apparatus for marking an elongated strand comprising a frame, a rollof printing tape mounted on said frame, means for advancing a cableacross said frame, a printing station associated with said frame, ameans fixedly mounted on said frame for tensioning said tape and guidingthe same to said printing station transversely of said cable, meansfixedly mounted on said frame on the opposite side of said cable fromsaid tape guiding means for advancing said tape, means comprising aprinting wheel having a truncated periphery mounted at said station forrecurrently printing through said tape onto said cable, support meansmounted at said station, said support means supporting said cable at andbeyond said printing means, means for urging said support means and saidcable toward said printing means, stop means adjacent to said printingmeans and opposite said support means blocking the advance of saidsupport means whereby the surface of said cable is fixed in relation tosaid printing means regardless of the size of said cable.

8. Apparatus for marking an elongated article comprising means forcontinuously advancing said article, means for supporting a hot transferprinting tape be- 7 tween fixed stations, means for adjusting the lengthof said tape between said stations, means for advancing said tape in afixed path between said stations transversely of said article, means forrecurrently impressing raised indicia against said tape onto saidarticle, said indicia and the portion of said tape in contact therewithadvancing with said article laterally out of said path during saidimpressing while points of said tape spaced from said portion remain insaid path, means for applying tension to said tape, said tape snappingback laterally to position in said path for another impression under thecompulsion of said tension upon the removal of said indicia.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Luedkeet a1. May 28, 1929 Seward Jan. 5, 1932 Olson Aug. 8, 1939 GoldsteinSept. 26, 1950 Brownlee Dec. 16, 1958 Andren Mar. 22, 1960

1. APPARATUS FOR MARKING AN ELONGATED ARTICLE COMPRISING MEANS FORCONTINUOUSLY ADVANCING SAID ARTICLE, MEANS FOR SUPPORTING A PRINTINGTAPE BETWEEN FIXED STATIONS, MEANS FOR ADVANCING SAID TAPE IN A FIXEDPATH BETWEEN SAID STATIONS TRANSVERSELY OF SAID ARTICLE, MEANS FORRECURRENTLY IMPRESSING INDICIA AGAINST SAID TAPE ONTO SAID ARTICLETHEREBY TRANSFERRING A MARK ONTO SAID ARTICLE, SAID INDICIA AND THEPORTION OF SAID TAPE IN CONTACT THEREWITH ADVANCING WITH SAID ARTICLELATERALLY OUT OF SAID PATH DUR-